Make This Mini Mighty! An experiment.

I've got some minis I love, but I'm ambivalent about what to do with them. I thought I'd try a little creative experiment. If it pans out, maybe it'll become a regular thing.

Hopefully, you see the mini below. It's labeled "vampire hunter", but labels matter not. I only care about finding something fun and effective to do with it, and to that end I'm soliciting your ideas. Note the crossbow in his left hand, the axe in his right hand, the steely determination on his mug. Can you ensconce this mini with such a combination of classes, feats, powers, and magic items that it will convey a sense of purpose, puissance, and pizazz to all at the table?

Here are the resources available to me to work with:
All PHB's
All "Power" books
Both Setting books
Both Adventurer's Vaults

Do you want a full character stat block, or just a character concept?

Good question. I'll appreciate whatever folks are willing to give. A stat block is great for those who go that extra mile, but a simple one-sentence post can be worthy of merit.

IIRC, Klaus has a character based on this mini, or at least one that uncannily resembles it. And he has a piece of artwork to match: Claudio Pozas - In Her Majesty's Service.

I see this as a rogue that goes dagger/hand crossbow to have a good mix of melee and ranged powers. Perhaps Raven Herald as a PP to fit the "vampire hunter" theme?

Easiest options are likely ranger or seeker. If you stretch it a little or are willing to change the axe to a light blade, or have a kind DM, rogue would work well too.

I love this mini, my player always uses it for his rogue PC's (he's been one in three straight games now), but yeah rogue is cool. Maybe MC to one of the divine classes although none really synch up to rogues well.

I dunno, just plain rogue doesn't do it for me. I was thinking of a couple of things from MP2. One is the hunter ranger, and the other is the archery warlord. I haven't looked at them too hard.

How about a hybrid of some kind?

Vidar, level 1
Human, Ranger
Build: Archer Ranger
Fighting Style: Archer Fighting Style
Ranger: Prime Shot
Background: Followed a Cult (+2 to Stealth)

Was raised by a family in service to a vampire cabal. Vidar was trained to infiltrate and lure children out of towns to keep the public unaware of undead activity. He failed to hide his tracks effectively, causing a number of the cabal to be destroyed by hunters. His mother was murdered and turned into a ghoul as part of his punishment. They left him in a hole to be devoured by his mother. He killed her and set about using his skills to ensure that no others suffer from the blight of the undead.

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 15, Con 13, Dex 17, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 8.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 15, Con 13, Dex 15, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 8.


AC: 15 Fort: 14 Reflex: 15 Will: 13
HP: 25 Surges: 7 Surge Value: 6

TRAINED SKILLS
Athletics +7, Dungeoneering +7, Perception +7, Heal +7, Stealth +10, Nature +7

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +3, Arcana, Bluff -1, Diplomacy -1, Endurance +1, History, Insight +2, Intimidate -1, Religion, Streetwise -1, Thievery +3

FEATS
Human: Speed Loader
Level 1: Lethal Hunter

POWERS
Bonus At-Will Power: Twin Strike
Ranger at-will 1: Warning Shot
Ranger at-will 1: Fading Strike
Ranger encounter 1: Fox's Cunning
Ranger daily 1: Boar Assault

ITEMS
Leather Armor, Battleaxe, Crossbow, Adventurer's Kit, Crossbow Bolts (20), Handaxe

A fun possibility, with one major House Rule requirement

Hi! Hope you like this. I got so into the character I may play him next.

The premise is a vampire/undead hunter who was tainted during his adventures as a youth while exploring an ancient crypt. In an attempt to remove his curse he traveled to a remote temple of The Raven Queen where he was informed that it was too late to remove his curse, but that The Raven Queen might offer him a boon for his services if he took up her standard. Vlaad has spent the past 15 years attempting to please his deity. As a result he has gained the ability to use the Oath of Emnity class feature a few times per encounter. He takes this blessing a sign of her pleasure and continues to seek out necromancers, vampire enclaves, and restless undead in hopes that some day she will grant him a reprieve from his cursed existence.

I've added flavor and build appropriate magical items (purchasing an additional level 8 and level 4 item with his 5,000 gold at paragon level).

The house rule requirement: Convince your DM to let you use a hand crossbow (free load already) as your "ranged offhand weapon" for most Maurauder build powers, and your offhand Handax as your melee weapon. I think Rule of Cool should prevail in this case, as it's not really a stretch to think you can use them in this manner. The only really technical fudge is using strength for a hand crossbows attack modifier.

The feats/items/powers, etc., are built around gaining hps or temp hps when you fell an enemy (a nod to the vampiric nature of the character) and having an uber-skirmisher feel to the character, flitting around the battlefield and doling out your divine wrath.

I would use the Cloistered Priest Background and call it something else.

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Vlaad, level 11
Human, Ranger, Unveiled Visage
Build: Marauder Ranger
Multi-Class: Avenger Feats granting Oath of Emnity x2
Fighting Style: Marauder Fighting Style
Ranger: Running Attack
Background: Cloistered Priest (Cloistered Priest Benefit)

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 20, Con 11, Dex 14, Int 11, Wis 20, Cha 9.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 17, Con 10, Dex 13, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 8.


AC: 23 Fort: 25 Reflex: 23 Will: 24
HP: 73 Surges: 6 Surge Value: 18

TRAINED SKILLS
Heal +15, Nature +15, Stealth +11, Dungeoneering +15, Athletics +14, Perception +15, Acrobatics +11, Religion +13

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Arcana +5, Bluff +4, Diplomacy +4, Endurance +4, History +5, Insight +10, Intimidate +4, Streetwise +4, Thievery +6

FEATS
Human: Vampiric Heritage
Level 1: Hero of Faith
Level 2: Manticore's Fury
Level 4: Lethal Hunter
Level 6: Night's Sight
Level 8: Vicious Advantage
Level 10: Hobbling Strike
Level 11: Disciple of Divine Wrath

POWERS
Bonus At-Will Power: Throw and Stab
Ranger at-will 1: Marauder's Rush
Ranger at-will 1: Hit and Run
Ranger encounter 1: Hurling Charge
Ranger daily 1: Skirmishing Stance
Ranger utility 2: Invigorating Stride
Ranger encounter 3: Parting Strike
Ranger daily 5: Bloody Throw
Ranger utility 6: Weave Through the Fray
Ranger encounter 7: Toppling Rush
Ranger daily 9: Invigorating Confrontation
Ranger utility 10: Blood of the Fallen

ITEMS
Bloodcut Hide Armor +2, Point Blank Hand Crossbow +2, Lifedrinker Handaxe +2, Tracker's Eye, Embalm, Long-Distance Runner, Uncanny Strength, Khyber Shard of Life Drinking (heroic tier), Surprise Bullet +1, Quickhit Braces (heroic tier), Wildrunners (heroic tier), Horned Helm (heroic tier), Amulet of Protection +3, Baldric of Dividing Ranks (heroic tier), Sun Globe (heroic tier), Pierced Heart Tattoo (heroic tier), Poison Gloves (heroic tier), Alchemical Silver (heroic tier) (2), Holy Water (level 11), Holy Water (level 1) (3), Adventurer's Kit, Footpads
FORMULAS
Alchemical Silver (2)
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Kerrick of the Black Brotherhood

Half-Elf Hybrid Seeker/Avenger...he's a vampire hunter, but not the usual kind.

Undead are an affront to the nature of life itself

The order of the Black Brotherhood was formed to marshall the combined forces of Faith and Nature against the abomination of undeath. At the end of their initial training, each Black Brother has been honed into a dedicated champion of life. When fighting undead, they typically open with their oath and devastating elemental attacks at range, then close quickly to finish off their foes.